United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW)

The United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women is a United Nations entity created in 1976 by ECOSOC. UN-INSTRAW is the leading United Nations Institute devoted to research, training and knowledge management in partnership with governments, the United Nations system, civil society and academia to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment. Its vision is to act as a leader in strategic and innovative actions that make a difference in women’s lives.

The United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women is a United Nations entity created in 1976 by ECOSOC. UN-INSTRAW is the leading United Nations Institute devoted to research, training and knowledge management in partnership with governments, the United Nations system, civil society and academia to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment. Its vision is to act as a leader in strategic and innovative actions that make a difference in women’s lives. Through alliance building and interactive dialogue with United Nations member States, international organizations, academia, civil society, the private sector and other actors, UN-INSTRAW: undertakes action-oriented research from a gender perspective that has a concrete impact on policies, programmes and projects; creates synergies for knowledge management and information exchange; strengthens the capacities of key stakeholders to integrate gender perspectives in policies, programmes and projects; and, builds a sustainable, transparent and efficient institution.

Many of the studies conducted by UN-INSTRAW have highlighted the gendered effects of globalization in processes such as migration; the impact of structural adjustment policies on women’s access to work, health and education; and violence against women as an obstacle to development and the achievement of international commitments such as the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) or the MDGs. Its current work in training and capacity-building focuses on women’s political participation and governance at the local level; women’s participation in peace and security processes, including the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325; and gender, migration and development issues.

The Institute has created networks, working groups and other communities of practitioners and stakeholders on various issues, including gender and security sector reform, ending violence against women, women’s political participation, gender and remittances and other issues.

Energy at UN-INSTRAW

UN-INSTRAW emphasizes the importance of articulating research, capacity-building and knowledge management in a continuous cycle of analysis, learning and action, so that participatory research results feed into knowledge management a nd the design of training and capacity-building programmes, as well as the formulation of policy. Through its applied research programmes, the Institute aims to make policies and programmes gender-responsive on the basis of concrete research results, the application of lessons learned and the replication of best practices. This approach allows for flexibility in responding to both existing challenges and new and emerging issues.

UN-INSTRAW’s training and capacity building programmes have highlighted gender dimensions and women’s participation in the collection and analysis of data and statistics, the use of new information and communications technologies (ICTs), environmental management, including water supply and sanitation and new and renewable sources of energy.